Alec Palao
Alec Palao | |
---|---|
Born | 1962, age 61–62 King's College, University of London |
Occupation(s) | Musician, music historian, writer, reissue producer |
Alejandro "Alec" Palao (born 1962) is a British musician, music historian, writer, and reissue producer. In addition to his musical output with groups like
Early life
Born "just as '
Career
After graduating from the University of London in 1985, Palao relocated to California in 1988.[1] He joined a local alternative pop band, the Sneetches, and in 1990 co-founded Cream Puff War magazine to chronicle the musical history of the San Francisco Bay Area. Working as a consultant with Ace Records, he researched and compiled the Nuggets from the Golden State series for their Big Beat Records subsidiary, followed by many other releases. As a U.S. resident, Palao further assisted the label's general release schedule by traversing the country to copy or acquire numerous vintage music catalogs on their behalf.
In 1998, he was a major participant in efforts by
As "one of the Bay Area's most notable collectors of 1960s rock and roll and soul music",[7] he said in a 2019 interview, "My priority is turning people on to music, especially if they have never heard it before."[8] Another interviewer called him "internationally recognized as one of the true champions of the American garage band movement".[9]
He has said of his compilation efforts, "... my predilection is always to ferret out stuff that either hasn't been out before ... or can stand a major upgrade. I prefer to rehabilitate rather than regurgitate."[2] He also added, "I haven't done much writing outside of liner notes .... Rather than be a commentator, I like to be the person whose work gets commented on."[1]
He has at various times been a member of the Charity Case,
Grammy Awards
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Best Historical Album | Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965–1970 | Nominated |
2011 | Best Historical Album | Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968 | Nominated |
2012 | Best Album Notes | The Music City Story: Street Corner Doo Wop, Raw R&B and Soulful Sounds from Berkeley, California 1950-75 | Nominated |
2014 | Best Album Notes | Electric Music for the Mind and Body (reissue) | Nominated |
2015 | Best Album Notes | I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969-70 | Nominated |
Published works
Selected production credits
Producer credits on major releases:[10]
- Various: GS I Love You: Japanese Garage Bands of the 1960s (Big Beat CDWIKD 159, 1996)
- The Zombies: Zombie Heaven (Big Beat Records ZOMBOX 7, 1997)
- The Ace of Cups: It's Bad For You But Buy It (Big Beat CDWIKD 236, 2003)
- Darondo: Listen To My Song: The Music City Sessions (BGP CDBGPD 233, 2011)
- Sylvie Vartan: en anglais . . . et en américaine (Ace CDCHD 1489, 2016)
- Various: Making Time: A Shel Talmy Production (Ace CDCHD 1497, 2017)
- Various: An A-Square Compilation (Third Man TMR-496, 2018)
- Dyke & The Blazers: Down On Funky Broadway: Phoenix 1966-67 / I Got a Message: Hollywood 1968-70 (Craft Recordings CR00322 / CR00323, 2021)
- The Beau Brummels: Turn Around: The Complete Recordings 1964-70 (Now Sounds QCRNOWBX58, 2021)
- The Sons of Adam: Saturday's Sons: The Complete Recordings 1964-1966 (High Moon CDHMR 13X, 2022)
Selected liner notes
See Grammy Awards section for nominated entries.
- Dan Hicks: Early Muses (Big Beat Records 183, 1998)
- Creedence Clearwater Revival: Box Set (Fantasy 5CCRCD-4434-2, 2001)
- Various: Love That Louie: The 'Louie Louie' Files (Ace Records CSCHD 844, 2002)
- The Gosdin Brothers: Sounds of Goodbye (Big Beat CDWIKD 235, 2003)
- The Sonics: Psycho-Sonic (Big Beat CDWIKD 115, 2003)
- Various: Hollywood Maverick: The Gary S. Paxton Story (Ace CDCHD 1073, 2006)
- Dan Penn: The Fame Recordings (Ace CDCHD 1353, 2012)
- Various: Lenny Kaye Presents Lightning Striking (Ace CDTOP2 1606, 2021)
Articles and essays
Selected works from books, magazines, and music publications:
- Palao, Alec (1993). "Chocolate Watchband: The Magical Band". Cream Puff War. No. 2. Santa Clara, CA: Palao-Cost. p. 41.
- ————— (1993). "The Continuing Adventures of Bard Dupont: Introducing The Outfit". Cream Puff War. No. 2. Santa Clara, CA: Palao-Cost. p. 87.
- ————— (1998). "Tell It to Me Slowly, I Really Want to Know: The Making of Odessey & Oracle" (CD liner notes). Odessey & Oracle 30th Anniversary Edition. London: Big Beat Records CDWIKD 181.
- ————— (1998). "Get Me to the World On Time" (CD liner notes). Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968. Los Angeles: Rhino R2 75466.
- ————— (2001). "ISBN 978-0922915699.
- ————— (2006). "Introduction". In Bruce Tahsler (ed.). The San Francisco East Bay 60's Scene. San Francisco: Teens N' Twenties. ISBN 978-0578131955.
- ————— (2009). "A Certain Magic: Track Notes" (CD liner notes). Big Star - Keep An Eye on the Sky. Los Angeles: Rhino Records R2 519760.
- ————— (2011). "The Sound of Fame" (CD liner notes). The Fame Studios Story. London: Kent RecordsKENTBOX 12.
- ————— (2018). "Twenty Four Hours Every Day" (CD liner notes). The Action – Shadows and Reflections. London: Grapefruit CRSEGBK045.
Film
- Interview: A Life in the Death of Joe Meek (2013)
- Producer: The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard (2014)
- Interview: On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone (2017)
Discography
Palao's recordings include singles, EPs, and albums with multiple artists as a bassist, drummer, and songwriter.[10]
Albums
- The Sting-rays
- Dinosaurs (1983)
- Live Retaliation (1985)
- Cryptic and Coffee Time (1987)
- The Essential (Early) Sting-rays Recordings 1982 to 1985 (1987)
- Come On Kid! Live '84 (1991, VHS)
- From the Kitchen Sink (2002)
- Live at the Klub Foot 1984 (2010)
- Slaughter Joe
- All Around My Hobby Horse's Head (with the Modern Folk Quintet) (1987)
- The Pied Piper of Feedback (1990)
- Zé Do Caixão (2003)
- A Collection (2012)
- The Sneetches
- Slow (1990)
- 1985-1991 (1991)
- Pop! (with Chris Wilson) (1993)
- Think Again (1993)
- Blow Out the Sun (1994)
- Obscureyears (1994)
- Starfucker (1995)
- Form of Play: A Retrospective (2017)
- Mushroom
- Matt Piucci: Hellenes (2000)
- Mike Levy: Fireflies (2001)
- The Chocolate Watchband
- Get Away (2000)
- This Is My Voice (2018)
- Gib Guilbeau: Songs I Like (2003)
- Magic Christian
- Limited Edition Authorized Bootleg (2004)
- Magic Christian (2005)
- Live at the Great American Music Hall (2005)
- Too Close to Zero (2006)
- Evolver (2009)
- Turn Up the Heat (2011)
- Penelope Houston: On Market Street (2012)
- Rain Parade: San Francisco 2012 (2013)
- The Beau Brummels: Continuum (2013)[c]
- The Charity Case: How to Fall (2016)
- The Hellenes: I Love You All the Animals (2017)
- The Flamin' Groovies: Fantastic Plastic (2017)
- Strangers in a Strange Land
- Strangers in a Strange Land (2017)
- Broken Tambourine (2020)
- Tall Poppy Syndrome: Come Some Christmas Eve (or Halloween) (2021)
Compilation appearances
- These Cats Ain't Nothing But Trash (1983): The Sting-rays: "I Want My Woman", "The Cat", "Dinosaurs", "Math of Trend"
- Revenge of the Killer Pussies (Blood on the Cats #2) (1984): The Sting-rays: "Escalator", The Bananamen: "Psychotic Reaction"
- Stomping at the Klub Foot (1987): The Sting-rays: "I Can Satisfy You", "Escalator", "Time Is After You", "Blue Girl"
- The Klub Foot Kicks Back (1987): The Sting-rays: "Escalator"
- The Magnificent Seven (1987): The Sting-rays: "Militant Tendency", "June Rhyme"
- Acoustic Music Project (1990): The Sneetches: "Everybody's Talkin'"
- 20 Explosive Dynamic Super Smash Hit Explosions! (1991): The Sneetches: "I Wanna Be with You"
- Single Minded - The Big Beat Singles (1992): The Sting-rays: "Another Cup of Coffee", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "Escalator", "Don't Break Down", The Bananamen: "Love Me", "Surfin' Bird"
- The Seventh ADventure (1992): The Sneetches: "A Good Thing"
- Super Fantastic Mega Smash Hits! (1995): The Sneetches with Shoes: "I Wanna Be With You"
- Sing Hollies in Reverse (1995): The Sneetches: "So Lonely"
- This Note's for You Too! A Tribute to Neil Young (1999): Matt Piucci: "Down to the Wire", Mushroom: "The Emperor of Wyoming"
- Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the '80s Underground (2004): Rain Parade: "I Look Around"
- Rockin' With Morrissey's Side-Men (2006): The Sting-rays: "June Rhyme", "Wedding Ring"
- Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995 (2005): The Sting-rays: "Don't Break Down"
- Skrang: Sounds Like Bobby Sutliff (2013): Matt Piucci with Rain Parade: "That Stupid Idea"
- Timemazine CD #4 (2017): The Chocolate Watchband: "No Way Out"
- Just A Bad Dream: Sixty British Garage and Trash Nuggets 1981-89 (2018): The Sting-rays: "June Rhyme", The Bananamen: "The Crusher"
- FUCKEDUPNSTEAMININPORTSMOUTHGREATBRITAINXXX (2019): The Sting-rays: "Hopelessness of the Human Race", "June Rhyme", "Save the Tiger", "Never Had It So Good", "Militant Tendency", "The Big Tide Will Turn", "Behind the Beyond", "Don't Break Down"
- Discography notes
Personal life
Alec Palao lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his "long-suffering, endlessly supportive" wife, vintage clothier Cindy Vorte.[12][13]
References
- ^ a b c d Rathert, Kevin (November 25, 2015). "Alec Palao, Man of Many Musical Hats". It's Psychedelic Baby. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ a b Mead, Matt (August 5, 2018). "Alec Palao – The Action producer talks to Louder Than War". Louder Than War. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Hann, Michael (July 30, 2021). "Big quiffs, zombies and dead crows: the wild world of psychobilly". The Guardian. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Chandler, Chip (August 27, 2015). "Label packs Kitchen Cinq into anthology". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ Spacek, Nick (October 23, 2020). "Alec Palao on the fortuitous nature of finding unreleased garage rock for Double Whammy!". The Pitch. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ "Preservation Award Established". Popular Music and Society. Vol. 30. London: Routledge. October 2007. p. 553.
- ^ "Crosscurrents: Oakland Museum takes 'Vinyl' off the shelf". KALW Public Media. May 12, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Ruggiero, Bob (May 29, 2019). "Classic Rock Corner: Psychedelic Rock Unearthed in Poppies". HoustonPress. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Sullivan, James (June 19, 2001). "A rock collector who leaves no stone unturned". SFGate. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ AllMusic
- ^ "Alec Palao staff bio". Ace Records. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ "The Collector: Alec Palao: The Revolution Will Be Archived". Record Collector. No. 466. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Selvin, Joel (May 21, 2000). "Entertainment: Ad Libs". CTInsider. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
External links
- Alec Palao at AllMusic
- Alec Palao discography at Discogs
- Alec Palao at IMDb